The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the etiology of low back disability and psychiatric disability.
The deciding factor: The examination did not fully address the antalgic gait, evidence of difficulty walking, or the use of a cane by the Veteran, which are relevant to determining whether his service-connected left foot fracture has aggravated his low back disability. The examiner also failed to provide a rationale for finding the diagnosis of major depression invalid.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability, Psychiatric disability (Major Depression)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19167947
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19167947.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address the severity of his low back disability, including whether he has experienced incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
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